Still on the Verge of Domination!

What we saw today was a Chargers Team that was dominating in the first half and was dominated in the second half. More than anything this reflects the lack of second half adjustments made by the Chargers offensive and defensive coordinators. Unfortunately, this often happens when you do not anticipate and are prepared for the opposing team to make second half adjustments to counter your first half success.

The Broncos brought the pass blitz in the second half and we really did not make any adjustments to offset it until it was too late. Conversely, the Broncos picked up our blitzes in the second half and we did not make any adjustments to keep putting pressure on their QB.

Hopefully, one of these days very soon both of our coordinators will anticipate and be prepared for the opposing team's second half adjustments. And on that day we will dominate in both halfs of a game.

I was dissapointed in the adjustments we did not make in the 2nd half. With the Broncos stacking the line, we should have called for a quick slants for line LT out wide. 8 in the box will more that likely shut down the run. But Cam Cameron kept on calling for a run.

Camerons innovative offense that kept the Broncos off balance in the 1st half dissapeared and we became a conservative offense that did not attempt to adjust. Denver simply blitzed and we could not take advatage of it. Schottenheim was simply outcoached and the players out muscled in the 2nd half.

Fielding their starting defense for the first time since October 15th against the 49's, last night it was demonstrated for all to see that our Bolts are no longer on the verge, they just are a Dominating Defense!

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“I think it was our best game, because we held them to no touchdowns, particularly in the secondary. That's huge,” McCree said. “That's an All-Pro quarterback with an All-Pro tight end with an All-Pro running back, and their offensive line is pretty good, too. You don't keep a good team like that out of the end zone, and for them to go three field goals, that's huge.”

Defense steps up when offense trips up ​

By Jim Trotter
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
December 18, 2006

With just under 10 minutes to play last night, Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers rolled right and inexplicably threw left. For one of the few times this season, he looked like a first-year starter, trying to do a lot when very little was needed.

He had an 11-point lead and needed only to play the clock and take care of the football. Instead, he got anxious, then greedy, and tried to force the ball into the tight coverage, turning a comfortable game into a potential nail-biter after safety Greg Wesley stepped in for the interception that gave Kansas City the football at the San Diego 39.

Considering the Chiefs had put up 30 points on the Chargers in the teams' previous meeting this year, there was a sense that maybe this was the opening the Chiefs needed. A sense of dread settled over some in the crowd of 66,583, but it failed to reach the Chargers' defensive huddle, where the players viewed the situation as an opportunity instead of a challenge.

“We pride ourselves on what we call 'sudden change,' ” linebacker Shaun Phillips said. “You know their offense is going to be pumped up after a takeaway, so we've got to go out and match that intensity. Our thing was to match that intensity and let the chips fall where they may, just make sure we're flying around and hitting.”

The Chargers did just that, of course. They forced the Chiefs to kick a field goal, then added one of their own for a 20-9 victory that improved their record to 12-2 and kept them ahead of the pack for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

If the Chargers are to make a deep run in the playoffs for the first time since the 1994 season, when they reached the Super Bowl for their only time, they acknowledge that their defense is going to have to make stands during tough times.
San Diego did just that against the Chiefs, holding them without a touchdown for the first time since 1994, when they won 20-6.
A case could be made that last night was the Chargers' best defensive performance of the year, surpassing even their season-opening shutout of the Raiders.

Consider: In seven of the teams' last 11 regular-season meetings, the Chiefs scored at least 24 points. But last night they had their second-fewest yards (241) of the season, matched their second-fewest third-down conversions (four) and failed to cross the goal line for the first time with QB Trent Green in the lineup. In fact, Kansas City reached San Diego territory just four times and got inside the Chargers' 20 only once.

Afterward, players cited a number or reasons for playing so well. Some took offense to Chiefs rookie defensive end Tamba Hali saying the Chargers had a finesse offense. Some said they wanted to retain their playoff positioning. Some said they focused on protecting their home field. And others said they did not want to let running back Larry Johnson (84 yards on 19 carries) upstage Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson (199 yards on 25 carries) in their battle for the league rushing title.

“Our defensive goal in this game was to stop Larry Johnson and make LT that rushing leader,” said end Luis Castillo. “It meant something for this defense to make LT No. 1. It meant something for this team to continue to be undefeated at home.”
Said safety Marlon McCree: “He deserves to be No. 1. We think he's the best back in the game, and we wanted to come in and shut LJ down so that LT could be the No. 1 back, and we did that.”

Tomlinson leads the league with 1,626 yards, while Johnson is second at 1,516. And yet it might not have meant much if the unit hadn't stiffened after the interception of Rivers, who had arguably his worst game as a pro, finishing with a 12.4 passer rating. “I think it was our best game, because we held them to no touchdowns, particularly in the secondary. That's huge,” McCree said. “That's an All-Pro quarterback with an All-Pro tight end with an All-Pro running back, and their offensive line is pretty good, too. You don't keep a good team like that out of the end zone, and for them to go three field goals, that's huge.”